Big Chocolate Birthday Cake Food

RUTH REICHL'S GIANT CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter two large rectangular baking pans (13 by 9 by 2 inches) and line them with waxed or parchment paper. Butter the paper and dust the pans with cocoa (you could use flour, but cocoa adds color and flavor).
• Measure the cocoa powder into a bowl, and whisk in 1 1/2 cups of boiling water until it is smooth, dark and so glossy it reminds you of chocolate pudding. Whisk in the milk and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk the flour with the baking soda and 3/4 teaspoon salt.
• Put the butter into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat in the sugars until it is light, fluffy and the color of coffee with cream (about 5 minutes). One at a time, add the eggs, beating for about 20 seconds after each before adding the next. On low speed, beat in the flour mixture in 3 batches and the cocoa mixture in 2, alternating flour-cocoa-flour-cocoa-flour.
• Pour half of the batter into each pan and smooth the tops. Bake in the middle of the oven until a tester comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes. Let the pans rest on cooling racks for 2 minutes, then turn the cakes onto racks to cool completely before frosting.
• Make the frosting: Chop the chocolate and melt it in a double boiler. Let it cool so that you can comfortably put your finger in it. While it's cooling, mix the butter with the whipped cream cheese. Add the chocolate, the vanilla and a dash of salt, and mix in the confectioners' sugar until it looks like frosting, at least 5 minutes. Assemble the cake, spreading about a third of the frosting on one of the cooled layers, then putting the second layer on top and frosting the assembled cake.

CHOCOLATE-CHOCOLATE BIRTHDAY CAKE

Steps:

• Center a rack in the oven, and preheat it to 350. Butter the interiors of two 9-inch round cake pans, dust with a little cocoa powder and tap out the excess. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Working with an electric mixer (use the paddle, if you have one), beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one, and beat for a minute after each goes in; beat in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low, and add the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the buttermilk in 2 (start and finish with the dry, and don't worry if the buttermilk makes the batter look slightly curdled). Mix in the melted chocolate. Divide the batter evenly between the pans.
• Bake for 24 to 28 minutes, until a tester poked into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Transfer to racks, let rest 5 minutes and then run a blunt knife around the edges of the pans. Unmold the cakes onto the racks, and cool to room temperature.
• Make the frosting: Sift together the confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder. Using an electric mixer (with the paddle, if available), beat the sugar, cocoa, salt and butter on high speed until fluffy. On low speed, add the chocolate. When it's almost incorporated, beat in the buttermilk. It's best to use the frosting immediately.
• If necessary, just before you're ready to frost the cakes, slice a sliver off the top of each layer to create a flat surface. To assemble, place one cake layer, top up, on a serving platter, and cover with frosting. Top with the second layer, top down, jiggling it into the frosting to hold it in place. Frost the top and sides of the cake - go sleek or swirly. If you're using decorations, scatter them over the cake. Chill for at least 1 hour (or for up to 1 day); bring to room temperature before serving.

BEST CHOCOLATE BIRTHDAY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9-inch fluted tube cake pan (such as Bundt®).
• Combine cake mix and pudding mix in a mixing bowl using an electric mixer. Add sour cream, vegetable oil, and water; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Transfer to a cake plate and let cool completely, 20 to 30 minutes more.
• Place opened frosting container in a microwave on medium heat, stirring every 30 seconds until just soft enough to pour. Drizzle frosting over cake and sprinkle candy-coated milk chocolate pieces on top.

CHOCOLATE BIRTHDAY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter and flour a 9-inch layer cake pan; tap out the excess flour.
• Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot, not simmering, water.
• Set aside to cool to lukewarm.
• Beat the eggs and 3/4 cup sugar in a bowl until thick and lemon colored.
• Fold the flour and melted chocolate into the batter, a third at a time until just combined.
• Stir in the almond extract.
• Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for about 45 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.
• Leave the cake in the pan for 5 minutes, then unmold it onto a wire rack.
• When cake is cool, split it into 2 layers.
• To make the frosting, in a saucepan boil 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water until the sugar melts and the syrup is clear.
• Cool to lukewarm.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer set on medium speed, beat the egg yolks, adding the syrup in a slow, steady stream, until thick.
• Continue beating for about 5 minutes or until the mixture has more than doubled in bulk.
• In a clean bowl and using the electric mixer, beat the butter until light and creamy.
• Add the butter to the yolk mixture, a little at a time.
• Spread the buttercream on one of the cake layers Top with the other cake layer.
• To decorate the cake, melt the bittersweet chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot, not simmering, water.
• Line a baking sheet with wax paper and spread the melted chocolate in a thin layer over the paper.
• Freeze for about 15 minutes until the chocolate is brittle.
• Brush the warmed, strained preserves over the top of the cake.
• Crumple the wax paper to break the chocolate into pieces.
• Scatter the broken chocolate over the top of the cake.
• Note: If you decide to write on the cake, double the buttercream amounts and omit the broken chocolate.
• Spread the buttercream on top of apricot preserves, and then write on the smooth surface with red or another color of decorating gel.

BIG CHOCOLATE CHIP BIRTHDAY COOKIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Spray a 15 inch flat pizza pan or 10 inch springform pan with pan spray to prevent sticking.
• Mix flour, soda and salt, set aside.
• Beat butter and shortening in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed to just combine.
• mix in sugars; beat with electric mixer until mixture is smooth. Mix in egg and vanilla on low speed until blended thoroughly.
• Add flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated.
• Mix in chocolate chips, stir by hand.
• Using fingers, spread dougn into a 10 inch circle on the pizza or springform pan. Smooth edges.
• If using the pizza pan, bake cookie about 14 minutes, until edges are light brown and center is golden.
• If using the springform pan, bake for about 18 minutes, until evenly light brown. Loosen the edge of the cookie from the pan, cool thoroughly. Remove sides of springform pan.
• Optional: Put spoonfuls of peanut butter on top of the cookie as it's cooling; allow it to 'melt' slightly and then spread around. Sprinkle with chocolate chips, allow those to melt and spread around.